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15
CHRISTCHURCH MAIL, AUGUST 16, 2012
Get lettuce planted now
This column is adapted from the
e-newsletter Get Growing from New
Zealand Gardener. To subscribe to Get
Growing (it's free!), visit the NZ
Gardener website at nzgardener. co.nz,
and click on the Get Growing tab. To
subscribe to NZ Gardener visit
mags4gifts.co.nz or call
0800 MAGS 4 GIFTS.
MULTI-USE: Seaweed can be added to your compost heap or used to make
liquid fertiliser
...but provide some protection
By LYNDA HALLINAN
1. Plant punnets of
lettuce for super
quick salads
You can still sow lettuce seed in
trays this time of the year but
their growth is so slow that it
might be worth the extra money to
buy punnets of seedlings from
your garden centre instead.
You'll get a good head start,
without having to mollycoddle
them too much, although it might
still be a good idea to provide
cover with a cloche while they
establish themselves.
Popular varieties to look out for
are lollo rosso, upright cos, oakleaf
types such as cocarde and butter-
crunch to name but a few. You'll
often find lettuce sold in punnets
of mixed varieties which is helpful
if you only need a few plants.
These look fabulous planted
together in garden beds or con-
tainers.
2. Tackle those garden
maintenance tasks
Spray decks and paths to treat
moss, mould and slime, sharpen
and clean your tools, tidy up your
shed, fix holes in bird netting,
scrub pots clean and sort out your
seed sowing gear. Clean seed
trays with a weak bleach solution,
make or buy labels and stock up
on seed-raising mix for the weeks
ahead. Spring will be here in no
time.
3. Collect seaweed
If you live near the beach, pop a
bin in the boot of your car and
collect seaweed for your garden.
Add it to your compost heap or use
it to make liquid fertiliser. Pile
seaweed into a large drum or bar-
rel, top up with water and cover
with a lid. Leave it for about three
months to allow the seaweed time
to break down. When you're ready
to use it on the garden, dilute one
cup of liquid to roughly 10 litres of
water.
Don't be tempted to use it undi-
luted as it's strong stuff and will
burn your plants.
4. Plant your last round
of brassicas
Stick to early-maturing varieties
like punnets of space saver cab-
bages and phenomenal cauli-
flowers.
Seedlings transplanted now will
be ready to eat from the end of
October, which means you'll get
them out of the ground just as the
first white cabbage butterfly
caterpillars start to hatch.